The Independent Contractor model is under attack in New Jersey!  During the 218th Legislative Session, Senator Sweeney tried to fast-track legislation that would eliminate Independent Contractors in our state, killing jobs and crippling many industries that rely on a flexible workforce, including the truckers who keep commerce moving at the Port of NY & NJ. 

The bills faced strong opposition and did not pass during the lame duck period, but the legislation has been re-filed for the new session as S863. 

WHY DO WE OPPOSE S863?
—The Independent Contractor perspective is being ignored. The sponsors of these bills did not speak to anyone from the trucking or independent contractor community when drafting these bills, and these groups were not included on the Governor’s Misclassification Task Force.

-- Many Other Industries in NJ Will Be Affected.  Freelance writers, photographers, vet technicians, artists, musicians--anyone who participates in the "gig economy" will face tremendous obstacles if they want to live and work in New Jersey.

—Port Drivers Do Not Want This. 77% of port drivers are Independent Contractors, and they want to remain independent business owners. These bills take away their right to pursue the American Dream.

— Many Modern-Era Industries Require a Flexible Workforce.  The Legislature does not understand how essential Independent Contractors are industries like the  Port Trucking industry. Freight volumes fluctuate throughout the year, and the workforce must be able to expand and contract along with it.

— Marginalized Groups Will Be Hardest Hit.  The transportation industry has a larger share of minority workers than any other industries in NJ, so this legislation disproportionately harms minority-owned businesses. It also impacts working women, seniors, and people with disabilities, who rely on the flexibility of independent contractor work in order to make a living.

— Jobs Will Be Lost. There are 6500 Owner Operators at the port, and trucking companies cannot afford to hire all of them as employees. Other industries, such as translators, transcription services, and freelancer writers, are already losing jobs in NJ, as companies decide it is not worth the risk to use independent contractors.

— NJ Will Suffer Financially. This push to codify the vague, outdated ABC classification test will lead to massive layoffs and cripple the ability to move freight at the Port of NY & NJ, costing the State of NJ billions of dollars in federal, state, and local tax revenues. 

— Consumers Will Pay More–for Everything!  NJ is already one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S.  This bill will make it worse: the cost of everything that travels by truck will increase significantly, including food, medicine, fuel, clothing, electronics, and more, hitting NJ’s low-income and middle class residents the hardest.